


Not As It Seems XXII

by eliniel



Series: Not As It Seems Series [22]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Bathtub Sex, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Fluffy, Sexy, Silly, Teasing, Tell me when you find the one line of angst I hid in here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:07:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22881481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eliniel/pseuds/eliniel
Summary: The Warrior of Light finally takes Emet-Selch's advice and takes a day off.
Relationships: Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch/Warrior of Light
Series: Not As It Seems Series [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2175447
Comments: 7
Kudos: 77





	Not As It Seems XXII

**Author's Note:**

> *laugh* This was not what I had planned it to be but I love it anyway.

I woke up to Emet-Selch’s arm tightening around my back. Still not quite awake, a lazy smile spread across my lips as I buried my face into the crook of his neck, nuzzling his skin with my nose as I nestled my body further into his side, relishing his warmth. 

_ Gods _ , what I would give to remain like this for a while longer.

He shifted, rolling onto his side to face me. I whined my displeasure at his movement, but he chuckled, the fingers of his free hand threading through my hair, his nails scraping lightly against my scalp making me shiver. He combed his hand through the strands, attempting to rid them of any tangles and snags.

As he did, I wrapped my arms around his back, laying my palms flat between his shoulder blades and hid my face in his chest, trying my very best to block out the bright, morning sunlight I just  _ knew _ was filtering in through the blinds. 

_ Why _ was it morning already?

“Shouldn’t you be getting up by now?” he asked me, his voice soft, still thick with sleep. I tightened my hold on him, nails slightly digging into his skin. I felt him move again, trying to pull back so he could look down at me, but I refused to relax my grip.

“Hmm?” he hummed, the rumble of his chest vibrating against my cheek. “Are you still tired, my dearest hero?”

I nodded, burrowing my face further into him. 

I was  _ exhausted _ . Always running myself ragged-

“Are you trying to tell me that the  _ vaunted _ Warrior of Light wants to remain in bed for once?” I tensed at those  _ words _ as he paused for dramatic effect. “I can scarcely believe it.” 

Ugh, why did he have to say it like  _ that _ ? Why did he have to insist on annoying me when it was still  _ so early _ ?

“Don’t make fun of me,” I grumbled, voice muffled against his skin. His chest shook with laughter, hand once more weaving into my hair to cradle the back of my head. 

“I wouldn’t dare,” he joked, quietly. “Far be it from me to tell you to get up.” I sighed sharply out of my nose and relaxed in his arms once more. 

When he pulled back, however, I clicked my tongue. He removed his hand from my locks, placing it under my chin to coax it up. I frowned and cracked my eyes open, squinting in the sunlight that was shining at his back. 

One side off his mouth tilted upward in an amused smile as he examined my face. 

“What?” I whined, drawing the word out. All I wanted to do was sleep a while longer. He had been constantly complaining that I didn’t rest enough, but now he was denying me-

He leaned down to me, catching my lips in his. I inhaled a gasp, my eyes sliding shut once more, his quickness earning him a soft whimper. 

When he pulled away, he gathered me in his arms once more and tucked my head under his chin, making sure to shield my face from the morning light. 

“Go back to sleep, hero,” he whispered and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of my head. “Rest as long as you’d like.” 

I hummed my agreement as I settled into him, letting the steady beat of his heart and the rise and fall of his chest lull me back into darkness. 

When I woke again, the Ascian wasn’t holding me any longer. I furrowed my brow, not ready to open my eyes yet, reaching across the bed in search of him, but was met with nothing more than the cold sheet. 

Finally, I slid my eyes open and looked to his side of the bed, though it was now barren. I frowned and sat up, peering around the room, blinking the sleep from my eyes. 

I pursed my lips when I didn’t find him, but noticed the roaring of the fireplace and a short stack of books on the table beside my bed that had not been there when I went to bed. 

How long had I been asleep?

One glance at the chronometer proved that it was still morning, if only for another quarter hour. 

With a groan, I stretched my arms high above my head. 

I had slept quite a bit longer than I usually did, but it had been worth it. I felt quite a bit more refreshed than I had the first time I had woken and I could still get up and do something with my day-

My bedroom door creaked open. My head shot towards the sound and found Emet-Selch standing in the doorway, crossing his arms over his chest, leaning on the frame. His overcoat and long tunic were notably missing, leaving him in his trousers and undershirt with a-

Was that a _ kitchen towel _ slung over his shoulder?

“Finally awake, are you?” he teased. When my eyes found his, a smug smile spread across his face and I clicked my tongue.

“I did no more than  _ you’ve _ been suggesting I do for  _ months _ ,” I replied with an obstinate shake of my head. He breathed a laugh and entered the room, motioning, with one hand, towards the small dining table I kept by the large set of windows in my room. 

I looked at his destination out of the corner of my eye before pouting my lips, gathering the blanket into my hands and hugging it to myself, unready still to leave it's comforting warmth. He rolled his eyes at me, the smirk never leaving his face. 

The Ascian came to a stop next to me, placing his hands on his hips and looking down at me with a raised brow. 

“So, you don’t want breakfast, then?” A sheepish smile spread across my mouth.

“You made breakfast?” I asked him, amusement tinging my words. With a sigh, he leaned down until we were nearly nose-to nose. My breath caught at his closeness, but without warning, he tore the blanket from around my body. I shivered in the sudden cold as he slid his arms under my body and easily lifted me from the mattress, eliciting a surprised cry from my mouth.

“Unfortunately, Warrior of Light,” he began, speaking over my protests, turning to move towards the table. “ _ I _ was hungry.” He set me down in a chair, the cold wood sending a chill up my spine, even with the fire warming the room. “And since I was unsure of when you would wake…”

He sat opposite me and snapped his fingers. A few platters of food and a pitcher of juice appeared in the middle of the small table, along with two sets of tableware and empty glasses.

“It would have been in poor form to only make food for  _ myself _ ,” he finished. I pouted once more.

“You could’ve waited until I  _ wanted _ to get up,” I mumbled. 

“It would have gotten cold,” he replied, matter-of-factly and I clicked my tongue.

“As if you couldn’t keep it warm with your magic,” I shot at him. His smirk widened into a crooked grin, teeth visible from between his lips. 

“Where’s the fun in that, my dear hero?” he asked, playfully. We stared at each other for a long moment in silence before he shook his head with a huff of a laugh. “As stubborn as ever, I see.” He broke eye contact with me and reached for the pitcher, pouring the orange liquid into his cup and then mine. “We can always return to bed when we’re finished...and laze around for the rest of the day, if you so prefer.”

I  _ had _ wanted to still get out and make use of my day, but perhaps… Well, the day was half gone, already. 

One day...couldn’t hurt, right?

Eventually, with pursed lips, I relented, and though he didn’t look at me, the expression on his face told me that he’d noticed. I examined the dishes with a sigh.

Eggs and bacon were laid out side-by-side on one, a plate of toast and my ceramic butter dish next to it. The last held pancakes with a bowl of fresh berries and powdered sugar for topping.

Loathe as I was to admit, it  _ did _ look good. My stomach grumbled loudly at the sight, and I heard a breathy chuckle from across the table.

“Go on, Warrior of Light,” Emet-Selch insisted. “Have your fill.”

With a soft smile, I unfolded my napkin and spread it across my lap, then reached for a slice of bacon. 

When we were both finished, I sat back in my chair with a content sigh. The Ascian pushed his plate back and folded his arms on the table. 

“Now what would you like to do?” he asked me. I lifted a finger to my lips, eyes wandering towards the window. 

“I guess I should-”

“Don’t worry about what you  _ should _ be doing, hero.” I tilted my head, giving him a look. He raised a brow at my expression.

“Would you let me finish?” His eyes narrowed at me, but he breathed a laugh, lifting one hand from to table to motion for me to continue. “Thank you.”

“Well?” 

I huffed in response.

“So impatient,” I teased. I looked out the window, once more, eyes landing on my front yard. “I was going to say that I should tend to my  _ garden _ before I was  _ so rudely _ interrupted.” I paused for effect and he watched me in silence, waiting for me to finish. “And then perhaps...a bath?”

An amused smile tugged at his mouth and he shook his head in disbelief.

“If you  _ insist _ , hero,” he answered, moving to stand. “I shall prepare it for us while you  _ water your flowers _ , or whatever it is you have growing out there.”

I clicked my tongue and slid out of my chair, moving to the closet to grab some lounge clothes. 

“I’ll have you know,” I began, slipping into a sweater. “I’m quite good at growing vegetables. Many of the onions and tomatoes we use are from my own hand.”

He hummed as he snapped his fingers, the plates and remaining food disappearing. 

“That is not surprising in the least,” he murmured as I turned to make my way outside.

When I had finished watering the plants, removing the weeds, and plucking the ready onions, garlic, and carrots, I headed back in, setting my basket on the dining table. I shrugged out of my sweater, laying it across the back of a chair before wandering upstairs again. 

When I entered the bathroom, I knew immediately I had chosen right. The warmth of the ready bath enveloped me in comfort, hints of a soothing lavender wafting around me, and it was all I could do to hold back a sigh. 

Emet-Selch stood with his arms folded in front of him, leaning against the sink as he waited. When he noticed my arrival, he stood straight, holding his hand out to me.

“There you are, hero.” I grinned and closed the distance between us, sliding my fingers in his. He tugged on my arm and pulled me into his chest, lifting his other hand to swipe his thumb across my cheek. When he pulled it away, his skin was darkened with dirt from the garden. He raised a brow, his golden eyes alight with amusement, and leaned down to run his nose along the same cheek. “Did you have fun playing outside?”

I giggled and nodded slightly, rising onto the tips of my toes and pressing my mouth to his. He smiled against my lips as he returned, hands coming to rest on my hips for a moment before feeling for the hem of my shirt.

“We’d better get you out of these dirty clothes, don’t you think?” he asked suggestively, his lips brushing against mine with each word, his hands slipping under the fabric. “And clean you up, hm?”

An exhilarated chill ran up my spine as his hands lightly travelling up the length of my back, pulling my shirt with it. He lifted it over my head and immediately began going to work on my pants.

When the both of us had discarded all of our clothing onto the floor, he climbed into the bathtub and took my hand to help me in as well, setting me down into his lap.

A comfortable quiet stretched between us as we sat, listening to the water lap against the porcelain edges. 

“You were right,” I sighed finally, laying my head back on his chest, drawing circles into the surface of the water. 

“I usually am, yes,” he quipped and I rolled my eyes, huffing a laugh at his arrogance. “But what, precisely, was I correct about?”

“I should have...played hooky a  _ long _ time ago,” I admitted. With a hum, he nuzzled the back of my ear with his nose, resting his hands on my sides, the tips of his thumbs grazing the sides of my breasts and I felt a spark between my legs.

“Maybe you should take my advice more often, hero,” he said as I closed my eyes, leaning into his touch. 

“Yes,” I agreed. “Maybe I should.” His hands began sliding down my body, his fingertips barely making contact with my skin as they glided through the water, causing a shiver to rise up my spine. 

“And to think,” he whispered in my ear as his hands found my thighs. “You could’ve had this so much sooner.” 

My core was set aflame with his words, his fingers gently nudging my legs apart. The beat of my heart picked up as he slowly drew one of his hands between my legs, brushing his fingers against my folds ever-so-slightly, but just enough to make me shudder under his touch, a strangled sound slipping from between my lips. 

He clicked his tongue at me a few times in mock reprimand as his other arm wrapped around me, clamping my arms to my sides and holding me still. I wriggled my hips, struggling against his grasp, trying to get him to touch where I wanted and with my movement, I felt him begin to harden against my backside.

“My, my,” he breathed as he teased me, drawing lazy figure eights between the insides of my thighs, refusing to concede. “Is there something you want, my precious hero?” he asked me, nipping at my earlobe.

I blew a sharp breath out of my nose as I frowned. If he was going to play with me this way- I was going to be stubborn. 

But, as usual, he was one step ahead.

He quickly inserted his knees between mine, preventing me from clamping my legs shut. 

“Ah, ah,” he started with a chuckle. I could just  _ hear _ the smugness in his voice as he watched over my shoulder. My face flushed at the thought. “Use your words, Warrior of Light. What do you want?”

“Touch _ - _ ” He made a quick pass at my folds again, forcing me to cut off my request with a soft groan, my body tensing, jerking against his arm, my movement forming small waves in the water.

“Hmm?” I clenched my jaw, the ache in my abdomen  _ throbbing _ .

“ _ Touch me for Twelve’s sakes,” _ I bit out, but he continued to deny me. After a long, frustrating moment, I relented further. “ _ Please _ .”

“Good girl,” he breathed, finally dipping his fingers between my legs, giving me what I so  _ sorely _ craved. My back arched, head thrown back onto his shoulder as he circled my entrance before sliding his hand up through the middle, pressing lightly against the the small bundle of nerves. 

He loosened his hold around my middle, letting me have control of my arms again. He took one of my hands in his, guiding it up towards my breast, wordlessly instructing me to touch myself as he worked me further down. I gave in to his demand, kneading my flesh as the peak hardened in my palm. My free hand found the edge of the bathtub, gripping it so tightly my knuckles turned white as I moved against the hand between my legs.

He raised his hand from mine, gripping my chin and tilting it away so he could lay a line of long, wet kisses along my jawline and the top of my neck, dragging his teeth over the skin as he traveled. 

He drew his motions out, slowly building the tensions in my body up until I was trembling against him, nearly weeping for release. 

His arousal pressed firmly against my backside as he watched me thoroughly come apart under his careful fingers, his breathing turning shallow, every movement of mine increasing his excitement. 

“That’s right,” he murmured in my ear. “Let it out.”

With his encouragement, I was thrown right over the edge. A violent shudder tore through my body, my hips bucking against his hand as I let my pleasure take me, a loud cry clawing itself out of my throat. 

I collapsed against him, letting both hands limply fall back into the water as my chest heaved with deep breaths. Slowly, he removed his legs from between mine, guiding my thighs to close so that I was once more resting comfortably in his lap, his arms winding around me, holding me close as I came down from my high, placing a single kiss to my temple.

“Did you like that?” he asked, amusement filling his words. 

I sat up slowly, forcing his arms to release me. I spun around in the water, moving until I straddled his hips. His smirk had appeared again as he peered up at me. I loosely wrapped my arms around his neck as I leaned my chest into his, bringing my face close to his- barely a hair’s breadth away. His eyes flicked down towards my lips for half a moment before meeting my own.

“Why don’t you let me show you?” 

I brushed my mouth against his, purposefully teasing him as he had teased me. He sat forward, seeking more, but I pulled back, a sly smile spreading across my lips. He raised a brow at my playfulness, a chuckle rumbling through his chest as he continued following me. 

Finally, he lifted his hands from where they were resting on the side of the tub, winding them around my back and forcibly pulled me to him.

“Stop that,” he murmured before pressing his lips to mine hungrily. I hummed against his mouth, fully intending to draw it out- to tease him until he couldn’t handle it for a moment longer. But, with his mouth on mine, I found myself easily melting into him as I gave myself over to his pleasure.

When the warmth of the water had faded, we finally pulled ourselves out of the bathtub. Emet-Selch wrapped a towel around me, leaning down to claim my lips for himself once more. When he broke away so that he could dry himself off, I sat on the stool in front of my vanity and began brushing the knots from my wet hair. 

I watched through the mirror as he came up behind me, his own towel folded around his waist. My eyes immediately went to his abdomen, noticing the shape of his hip bones peeking out from under the towel and I sucked my lip in between my teeth. 

“Eyes up here, Warrior of Light,” he ordered as he easily lifted the brush from my hand. I felt my face heat up again, caught, and quickly released my lip as my gaze shot up to his in the mirror. He smiled smugly down at me. I averted my eyes to the side, trying to calm the burning of my cheeks, as he finished the work I had started. He set the brush back down on the counter after a few moments and began parting my hair into thirds and plaited it down my back. 

“Now what would you like to do?” the Ascian asked me, summoning a ribbon to his hand. He tied it at the bottom of the braid. 

“Nothing?” I tried, lifting a finger to my mouth in thought. He chuckled, dropping my hair against my back again.

“Alright,” he agreed. “Where would you like to  _ do nothing _ ?” 

I hummed, pursing my lips. In truth, I had never really  _ taken a day off _ , even at the insistence of my companions. Even on holidays, I was usually doing  _ something _ . I didn’t know  _ how _ to lounge around all day. 

“Bed?” I asked, curiously. He inclined his head and offered his hand to me. When I took it, he pulled me from the stool and back into the bedroom. I quickly dressed in a set of comfortable clothes and settled down into bed again. My gaze landed on my nightstand as he began climbing in next to me, now clad in no more than a loose pair of paints. The books-

“You knew,” I realized aloud. He breathed a laugh. 

“No,” he began. “I merely have an incredible sense of foresight.” I rolled my eyes and leaned towards the small bedside table, reading the spines. My brow furrowed.

“These are all-”

“Those fictional romances you are  _ so _ fond of? Yes.” I turned back to look at him. 

“Won’t you get bored?” He tilted his head.

“I had thought perhaps...you could read aloud.” My face burned anew, my eyes widening as I sat up.

“Y-you want me to read one of these  _ out loud _ ?” He raised a brow at my sudden panic.

“Why not?”

“You don’t even  _ like _ them,” I reminded him. He chuckled, reaching over me and grabbing the book on the top of the stack. 

“In truth, I have never read one,” he admitted, examining the cover. “If you read it to me, maybe I w-”

“They’re-” I started, loudly and paused, clearing my throat and turning away from him to hide my flaming cheeks. “A little…” 

He pressed his back against mine as he dipped his head, laying a line of slow kisses up my neck, stopping just below my ear. A shiver ran up my spine as a whimper slipped from my lips.

“I’m very aware of their contents, but it can’t be any worse than the things we do together, hero,” he insisted, pulling away, leaving my back cold. 

Why did he always have to be  _ right _ ?

I pressed my lips together in a thin line before turning back over and snatching the book from his hand.

Amusement danced in his eyes as he beheld my face and I shot him a glare.

“ _ Fine _ ,” I conceded, pointing at him menacingly with my index finger. “But you can’t make fun of me. This was  _ your _ choice.”

He grinned, then motioned for me to begin. I huffed and opened the book. 

Many chapters later, I lounged against my headboard as he laid against my chest, one of his arms loosely draped across my stomach, one of mine under his head. My fingers toyed with his hair, absent-mindedly winding his strands around my fingers as I recited the words in the book. 

Thankfully, he had chosen a rather  _ tame _ story, and I had no issues reading it to him-

When he inhaled a deep breath, I paused, looking down at him. His eyes were closed, his lips slightly parted, his breathing even. A soft smile spread across my mouth.

I glanced up at the clock. 

Still a while until it would be time for dinner, I concluded. 

I supposed a nap  _ couldn’t _ hurt…

I set the book down beside me on the mattress and shifted slightly so I could wrap my other arm around him, pulling him closer to me. He sighed in his sleep, his arm tightening around my waist in response as I pressed a kiss to the top of his head and closed my eyes.


End file.
